by L. T. Meade
CHAPTER XXIX.
THE FEELINGS OF A CRUSHED MOTH.
"I don't think it's right for Maria to be in the room," said Mrs.Butler. "I'll listen to all you've got to say in a moment, Mrs. GormanStanley, but--Maria, will you have the goodness to leave us."
"I'd rather stay," pleaded poor Miss Maria. "I always was deeplyinterested in my darling Bee, and it's dreadful to think of her beingdiscussed and gossiped over, and me not present. You know, Martha, youhave a sharp tongue."
"This from you, Maria? You, who eat my bread. Well! Mrs. Gorman Stanley,you are witness to this ingratitude."
"Oh, my dear good creatures, don't quarrel," said Mrs. Gorman Stanley.
She was a very phlegmatic woman, and hated scenes.
"If I were you, Mrs. Butler, I'd let poor Miss Peters stay," she added."I'm sure she's quite old enough."
"Mrs. Gorman Stanley, my sister is never old enough to listen to impropersubjects. Faithless, she is, ungrateful, perverse, but her innocence atleast I will respect. Maria, leave the room."
Poor Miss Maria slipped away. As she did so, she looked exactly like acrushed brown moth. In the passage she stopped, glanced furtively aroundher, and then, shocking to relate, put her ear to the key-hole. She feltboth sore and angry; they were saying horrid things of Beatrice, andMiss Peters loved Beatrice.
Soon she went away, and burying her face in her little handkerchief,sobbed bitterly.
Inside the drawing-room, Mrs. Butler and Mrs. Gorman Stanley wereholding awful conclave.
"You don't say, my dear, that she took the young man up to Miss Hart's_private_ room? And who _is_ Miss Hart? And what's all thisfuss about? No, I'm glad Maria isn't here! I always tried to do my dutyby Maria, and a scandal of this kind she must not listen to. What doesit all mean, Mrs. Gorman Stanley? Is Beatrice Meadowsweet to be marriedon Tuesday, or is she not?"
"My dear friend, I can't tell you. There are all sorts of rumors about.I was at Perry's buying a yard of muslin, when Mrs. Morris came in. Shehad her mouth pursed up, and her voice perfectly guttural frombronchitis, so I knew she was keeping something in, and I made a pointof going up to her. I said, 'you have got some news, Mrs. Morris, andyou may as well out with it.' Then she told me."
"What? Mrs. Gorman Stanley, I trust you don't feel the draught from thatwindow. I'll shut it if you like. But what--what did she say?"
"Well, she said some queer things. Nobody can quite make out whether Beeis to be married or not on Tuesday. Some say that Captain Bertram ismarried already, and that his wife is living in seclusion at theBells'."
"At the Bells'? I'll go over at once and poke that mystery out. Maria!_Maria_! She's sure to to be eaves-dropping somewhere near. Maria,come here quickly, I want you."
"What is it, Martha?"
The little crushed moth put in a face, which disclosed very red eyes, atthe door.
"What is it, Martha? Do you want me?"
"Ah, I thought you couldn't be far off. You'll oblige me, Maria, byrunning upstairs, and fetching down my bonnet and mantle. My _old_gloves will do, and I'll have my fur boa, for the days are turningwonderfully chilly. Yes, Mrs. Gorman Stanley," continued Mrs. Butler,when Miss Peters had disappeared, "I'll soon get at the bottom of_that_ bit of gossip. Are the Bells likely people to keep a closesecret to themselves; you tell me that, Mrs. Gorman Stanley? Aren't theyall blab, blab, blab? Ah, here comes Maria--and dressed to go out, too,upon my word? Well, miss, I suppose I must humor you! You'll have thedecency, however, to remember to turn away your head if we matrons wishto whisper a bit among ourselves. Good-bye, Mrs. Gorman Stanley. I'lllook in if I have any news for you this evening."
"Do," said Mrs. Gorman Stanley. "I'm all a-gog to hear. It's no joke toorder a handsome dress for a chit of a girl's wedding, and then not wearit after all. I meant to get new curtains for my back parlor, heavysnuff-colored moreen, going a great bargain, but I had to buy the dressinstead. Well, you'll let me know the news. Good-bye."
As they were walking down the street to the Bells' house Mrs. Butlerturned sharply to her little companion:
"Maria," she said, "you are a perfect fool."
"Well, really, Martha, I--I----"
"For goodness' sake, don't begin to snivel. I hadn't finished my speech.I'm a fool, too. We are both in the same box."
"Oh, no, Martha, you always were----"
"Folly. You needn't roll your eyes at me. Don't flatter. I said we wereboth fools. I repeat it. We have been hoaxed."
"Hoaxed?" said Miss Maria, with a high staccato note of inquiry.
"Yes. Hoaxed. Hoaxed out of our wedding presents by a girl who is notgoing to have a wedding at all. I miss my brooch. My throat feels nakedwithout it. Last week I had a hoarseness. I attribute it to the loss ofthe brooch."
"I don't miss my lace," said Miss Maria. "I am glad she has it. I amvery glad she has it, wedding or no wedding, bless her sweet heart."
"Maria, your sentiments are sickly. Don't give me any more of them. Herewe are at the door now. You'll remember, Maria, my hint, and act as amodest woman, if occasion requires."
Here Mrs. Butler souded a loud rat-tat on the Bells' hall door. Thelittle maid opened it rather in a fright. She poked her head out. Thiswas a style usually adopted by the Northbury servants.
"Is your mistress in, Hannah?"
"I don't know, Mrs. Butler, ma'am. I'll inquire, ma'am. Will you walkin, please, ma'am."
"I will, Hannah, and so will Miss Peters. Show us into the drawing-room,and tell your mistress we are here. If she should happen to be out wewill wait her return. You will be particular to remember that, Hannah.We'll wait her return."
"Oh, if you please, Mrs. Butler, will you--excuse me, ma'am, but_will_ you come into the parlor, please, ma'am?"
"Into the parlor? Why into the parlor, pray?"
"It's Miss Matty, ma'am."
"Oh! has Miss Matty become mistress of this house? And does she forbidher mother's visitors admission to the drawing-room! Hoots, toots--I'llsoon put a stop to that sort of thing. Come on, Maria."
"But really, Martha--do stop a moment, Martha--I'm sure Hannah ought toknow best."
"Oh, indeed, yes, Miss Peters--thank you, Miss Peters--missis did giveorders most positive. These were her exact words: 'Hannah,' she said,'the parlor is for callers. You remember that, Hannah, and thedrawing-room is for--'"
"Yes," said Mrs. Butler, sweeping round, and confronting poor littlefrightened Hannah. "Who is the drawing-room for?"
"For Miss Matty, please, Mrs. Butler, ma'am. For Miss Matty and Mr.Gusty Jenkins. They're a--they're a-lovering in the drawing-room,ma'am."
"Then they are engaged! That rumor also reached me. Come on, Maria.We'll go and congratulate them."
No poor little ignorant maid-of-all-work could keep Mrs. Butler backnow. She swept down the passage, followed by the shrinking, but curiousMiss Peters. She threw open the drawing-room door herself, and intrudedupon the abashed young people with a stately flourish.
"How are you, Matty?" she said. "Oh, pray don't let us disturb you. Isthat you, Augustus? I'm pleased to see you, young man. I used to dandleyou when you were an infant--good gracious, what red hair you had,and--it hasn't changed, not at all! Now, Matty, my dear, what are youblushing about? You have caught your young man at last, and much luckmay you both have. If--' if at first you don't succeed, try, try, tryagain.' You _have_ tried again, Matty, and I congratulate you. Youmay kiss me, Matty, if you like. Maria, you may kiss Matty Bell. She'sengaged to Gusty. Well, Gusty, you _are_ a sly one. Never once haveyou been near my house since your return. Better employed, you will say.Ha, ha, _I_ know young men. Marry in haste and repent at leisure.But come over now and sit near me by this window. I shouldn't object toa dish of gossip with you, not at all. Do you remember that day when youhad your first tooth out? How you screamed? I held your hands, and yourmother your head. You were an arrant coward, Gusty, and I'm frank enoughto remind you of the fact."
Just then, to Augustus Jenkins' infinite relief, Mrs. Bell
entered theroom; he was spared any further reminiscences of his youth, and he andMatty were thankful to escape into the garden.
After the necessary congratulations had been gone through, and Mrs. Bellhad bridled, and looked important, and Mrs. Butler had slapped herfriend on the shoulder, and given her elbow a sly poke, and in shortgone through the pleasantries which she thought becoming to theoccasion, the ladies turned to the more serious business in hand.
Mrs. Butler, who prided herself on being candid, who was the terror ofher friends on account of this said candor, asked a plain question inher usual style.
"Maria, go to the window and look out. Now, Mrs. Bell, you answer me yesor no to this. Has Captain Bertram a wife concealed in this house, orhas he not? In short, is my throat naked for no rhyme or reason!"
Mrs. Bell, who could not quite see what Mrs. Butler's throat had to sayto a clandestine wife of Captain Bertram's, stared at her friend withher usual round and stolid eyes.
"I think your brain must be wandering, Martha Butler," she said. "Idon't know anything about your throat, except that it is very indelicateto wear it exposed, and as to Captain Bertram having a wife here, do youwant to insult me after all these years, Martha?"
"I want to do nothing of the kind, Tilly Bell. I only want to get at thenaked truth."
"It was your naked throat a minute ago."
"Well, they hang together, my throat and the truth. Has that young mangot a wife in this house, or has he not?"
"He has not, Mrs. Butler, and you forfeit my friendship from thisminute."
"Oh, I forfeit it, do I? (Come, Maria, we'll be going.) Very well, Mrs.Bell, I have forfeited your friendship, very well. And there's no youngwoman who oughtn't to be here, concealed on these premises. (Maria, staylooking out at the window for a minute.) There's no strange young womanhere, oh, of course not. Poor Bell, honest man, only _fancies_ hehas a visitor in the house."
Here Mrs. Bell turned ghastly pale. Mrs. Butler saw that she hadunexpectedly driven a nail home, and with fiendish glee pursued heradvantage.
"A visitor! oh, yes, _all the lodgings were full,_ packed! and itwas so convenient to take in a visitor a--_friend._ Hunt the bakerhas been speaking about it. I didn't listen--I make it a point_never_ to listen to gossip--but Maria--Maria, you can come herenow. Have the goodness, Maria, to tell Mrs. Bell exactly what Hunt said,when you went in to buy the brown loaf for me last Friday."
"Oh, sister--I--I really don't remember."
"Don't remember! Piddle dumpling! You remembered well enough when youcame back all agog with the news. I reproved you for listening to idlegossip, and you read a sermon of Blair's on evil speaking aloud to methat night. You shall read sermon ten to-night. It's on lying. Well,Mrs. Bell, _I_ can repeat what my poor sister has forgotten. It wasonly to the effect that you and Bell must have had a windfall left you,and _he_ never knew a visitor treated so well as you treated yours.The dainty cakes you had to get her, and the fuss over her, and everyblessed thing paid down for with silver of the realm. Well, well,sometimes it is _convenient_ to have a visitor. But now I mustleave. Maria, we'll be going. You have got to get to your sermon onlying as soon as possible. Good-bye, Mrs. Bell. Perhaps you'll be ableto tell some one else why the whole town is talking about MissHart--whoever Miss Hart is--and about Beatrice, and the wedding beingput off--and Captain Bertram going off into high hysterics in--(Maria,you can go back to the window)--in a certain young lady's private room.Now I'm off. Come, Maria."